Asian Beef Skewers

I just ate Asian beef skewers.

What the hell is that? Delicious strips of flank steak, soaked in a fairly easy homemade marinade, threaded onto bamboo skewers, and grilled. I discovered that the key to this dish is slicing the flank steak against the grain of the meat. Doing so cuts the fat that runs through the beef and ensures tender meat, no matter how long you cook it.

Why did I eat this? I prepared a double batch of these appetizers for a potluck dinner party a couple of weeks ago and they were a big hit, so I decided to make them again for our house guest, Alex, a friend and grilled meat aficionado visiting from Seattle, WA.

Alex, an aspiring East Coast slum lord, is in town for a few days to make repairs at his rental property in nearby Media, PA. While serving last night's meal of beef skewers, grilled asparagus, and mashed potatoes, I informed our friend that he could expect increasingly less ambitious meals as the week progressed. We'll be ordering pizza by Wednesday and Thursday's dinner is likely to consist of cold cereal and toast.

The fact that this meal even made it to the table was something of a miracle. I had spent the better part of the afternoon trying to corral a hemorrhaging puppy, wounded after I clipped one of his nails too short. We had him sequestered in the office so he wouldn't bleed all over the house, but when Ellie grew tired of sitting with him, I took the pup outside and tied his leash to a chair while I grilled. We finally contained the mess by placing a tissue over his toes and covering it with a plastic sandwich bag, secured to his leg with a hair band. (And, yes, he's fine now - no need to contact PETA!)

Satisfaction rating: 9*

* This dish could have been a 10, but I was preoccupied with making sure the dog didn't gnaw the bag off of his foot.